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By Field Level Media / Thursday, April 17, 2025
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He had been treated for deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and was taking blood-thinning medication, forcing him to sit out the final 14 games of the regular season. The team said he is no longer on the medication.
He will not play in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series between the No. 5 Bucks (48-34) and the No. 4 Pacers (50-32) in Indianapolis on Saturday.
"We're thrilled for Dame," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said. "Our priority has always been Dame's health. We're grateful to our medical team for diagnosing and treating his DVT at an early stage, and for the world-renown hematology specialists at Mayo Clinic. Every step of Dame's recovery has been at the direction of world-class medical professionals and their specific and strict protocols that have allowed for Dame's safe and healthy return to play."
The team said Lillard, 34, will "continue to increase" his basketball activity as he prepares to return to play but didn't offer a timeline.
On the season, the nine-time All-Star averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 58 games. Over 900 career games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks, he has averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Thursday, April 17, 2025
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ESPN reported that the Kings are already finalizing a deal to fill the vacancy with Scott Perry, who was GM of the New York Knicks from 2017-23. Perry was Sacramento's vice president of basketball operations in 2017.
McNair just completed his fifth season in the role. He was named the NBA's Executive of the Year after Sacramento ended a league-record 16-year playoff drought in 2022-23.
Ninth-seeded Sacramento's season ended Wednesday night with a 120-106 home loss to 10th-seeded Dallas. The Kings finished 40-42 in the regular season.
McNair reportedly lost decision-making power in the organization, which fired head coach Mike Brown after 31 games this season and made waves with a series of significant roster moves. Sacramento signed DeMar DeRozan as a free agent in July and at the deadline traded De'Aaron Fox to the Spurs and acquired Zach LaVine from the Chicago Bulls.
The Kings compiled a .488 winning percentage in five seasons under McNair, compared to a .362 clip during the five previous campaigns.
McNair worked in the Houston Rockets' front office for 13 years before being hired as the Kings' GM and president of basketball operations in September 2020.
Perry, 61, began his NBA front office career with the Detroit Pistons in 2000. He was the assistant GM for the then-Seattle SuperSonics in 2007-08, the vice president of basketball operations from 2008-12 for the Pistons and an assistant GM and VP for the Orlando Magic from 2012-17.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Thursday, April 17, 2025
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Notably, with the seventh-place Warriors leading 117-116, the NBA's Last Two Minute Report said the eighth-place Grizzlies should have been awarded the ball when Memphis' Ja Morant reached in and knocked the ball away from Stephen Curry with 7.3 seconds left. The report said Curry made last contact with the ball before it went out of bounds.
With 5.4 seconds to play, Curry sank two free throws to extend the lead to 119-116.
The report backed the officials on what happened next. After taking a timeout, the Grizzlies were called for a five-second turnover for failure to inbound the ball. Curry then iced the win by hitting two more free throws with 3.4 seconds left.
Two calls that weren't made -- but should have been -- were also noted in the report. With 1:29 to play, Golden State's Draymond Green should have been whistled for a foul, his sixth, on Memphis' Scotty Pippen Jr. It came with the Warriors leading 114-109. Green did get his sixth with 58.6 seconds left.
A non-call then helped the Grizzlies get within 114-111 with 1:27 to play. The report indicated that Memphis big man Zach Edey should have been called for offensive goaltending on a putback dunk.
With the victory, the Warriors earned the No. 7 spot in the West playoffs and a matchup with the No. 2 Houston Rockets. The Grizzlies were relegated to playing the survivor of the Wednesday night game between the ninth-place Sacramento Kings and the 10th-place Dallas Mavericks.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Wednesday, April 16, 2025
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Dumars, 61, has been the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations since 2022. He replaces David Griffin, who was fired Monday after a six-year stint that ended with the team posting a 21-61 record in 2024-25.
"Joe's achievements as a renowned Hall of Fame player, NBA champion and front office executive are indisputable," Pelicans owner Gayle Benson said in a statement. "I have a great deal of respect for what Joe has already accomplished as a player and executive, but more importantly I admire his character and leadership. His vast experience and relationships throughout the NBA, along with his strong leadership qualities, will have a tremendous impact on our organization and our goal of winning an NBA championship.
"While at the league, he was involved in every aspect of basketball operations and got unparalleled perspective and knowledge of the most effective personnel, strategy and tactics throughout the league. That will benefit our team immediately as we move forward."
Dumars will begin with the Pelicans on Monday.
The Pistons hired Dumars to head their basketball operations after he retired as a player in 1999 and he served from 2000-14. He was the 2002-03 NBA Executive of the Year, one season before Detroit won another championship.
He worked in the Sacramento Kings' front office from 2019-22 before moving to the league office.
A native of Shreveport, La., Dumars went to high school in Natchitoches and college at McNeese State in Lake Charles.
"As a Louisiana native, this is truly a full circle moment," Dumars said in a statement released by the Pelicans. "I grew up as a Saints fan and the first AAU basketball team I played on at 16 years old was based in New Orleans, so this opportunity is very special to me on a personal level. I look forward to being a part of the Pelicans organization, and building a team that proudly represents our fans on the court and in our community."
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Tuesday, April 15, 2025
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The Lakers officially acquired Doncic on Feb. 2 for perennial All-Star forward Anthony Davis in a deal that also sent Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick to Dallas and Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to Los Angeles.
"Yeah, there's no regrets on the trade," Harrison said on Tuesday, per the Dallas Morning News. "Part of my job is to do the best thing for the Mavericks, not only today, but also in the future. Some of the decisions I'm going to make are going to be unpopular. And that's my job and I have to stand by it."
Harrison was speaking to reporters for the second time since the trade -- however, reportedly with one caveat. Cameras and audio recording devices were not permitted, per The Stein Line.
Harrison, 52, also addressed calls from members of the fanbase for majority shareholder Miriam Adelson and team governor Patrick Dumont to fire him.
"Well, the beauty of Dallas is it is a passionate fanbase," Harrison said. "For us to reach our goals, we need that fanbase. And to be honest with you, every trade I've made since I've been here has not been regarded as a good trade. So sometimes it takes time.
"When I traded for Kyrie (Irving), it was met with a lot of skepticism and it was graded as a terrible trade. You didn't see it right away, but eventually everyone agreed that it was a great trade. When I traded for (Daniel Gaffney and (P.J. Washington), it was like, ‘Oh, he gave up way too much.' These guys are going to help us. Now that trade, you saw the evidence a lot sooner.
"So I think a lot of times, trades take a little bit of time but our philosophy going forward is defense wins championships, and we're built on defense. This trade cements us for that."
The Mavericks limped to a 39-43 record and the 10th seed in the Western Conference. They will visit the Sacramento Kings in a Western Conference play-in game on Wednesday.
Led by Doncic, the Lakers secured the third seed in the conference.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Tuesday, April 15, 2025
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Lillard has not played since March 18 and the team announced on March 25 that he is dealing with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf.
"Damian's most recent weekly scan shows that his injury has significantly improved which will enable him to move ahead safely with increased basketball activity," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said. "Damian's health remains our No. 1 priority. We have followed strict protocols and will continue to do so. We are pleased with the positive news about Damian's progress."
The Bucks are playing the Indiana Pacers in the first round, with Game 1 scheduled for Saturday in Indianapolis. Milwaukee (48-34) finished the regular season with an eight-game winning streak.
Lillard, 34, averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in 58 games (all starts) in his second season with Milwaukee. He has career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game in 900 games with the Portland Trail Blazers (2012-23) and Bucks.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Tuesday, April 15, 2025
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Dumars, who has been the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations since 2022, would replace David Griffin, who was fired Monday after a 21-61 season.
Dumars, 61, was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2006. A six-time All-Star guard, he won consecutive titles with the Detroit Pistons in 1989, when he was the NBA Finals MVP, and 1990.
The Pistons hired Dumars to head their basketball operations after he retired in 1999 and he served from 2000-14. He was the 2002-03 NBA Executive of the Year, one season before Detroit won another championship.
He worked in the Sacramento Kings' front office from 2019-22 before moving to the league office.
Dumars has strong ties to Louisiana. A native of Shreveport, he went to high school in Natchitoches and college at McNeese State in Lake Charles.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Monday, April 14, 2025
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Doncic's No. 77 Lakers jersey was the top seller for the 2024-25 regular season according to NBAStore.com sales, the NBA announced Monday.
A native of Slovenia, Doncic became the first international player to have the most popular jersey in the NBA.
He is also the first person other than Steph Curry or LeBron James to top the list for more than a decade. The last time Curry or James didn't have the best-selling jersey was when Carmelo Anthony's No. 1 New York Knicks jersey was the most popular in the 2012-13 season.
Curry and James haven't gone far, though. Curry's No. 30 Golden State Warriors jersey is second this season and James' No. 23 Lakers jersey is third.
The rest of the top 10 includes:
4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
5. Jalen Brunson, Knicks
6. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
7. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
9. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
10. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Monday, April 14, 2025
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But he also hinted that the changes have already brought upon the desired result.
"The season is not over yet," Kroenke said Monday. "We just finished the season like a freight train as far as I can tell."
Entering the locker room after a Sunday night (April 6) home loss to Indiana, the Nuggets' fourth consecutive loss, the picture before Kroenke prompted him to pull the plug on the status quo.
"I could feel how flat the room was," he said. "On a four-game losing streak heading into the playoffs with a flat locker room, I internalized how much I had let the room slip. It was not up to standards of Denver Nuggets basketball."
Kroenke said there were two prior moments when he felt the team was headed in a direction "not up to my standards" but he resisted making a change out of respect for Malone and Booth.
Ben Tenzer was named interim general manager on Monday and will be in place for the duration of the playoffs working alongside interim head coach David Adelman.
Kroenke pulled back on his initial hunch last Thanksgiving that a change was required, and then again before the All-Star break during an eight-game win streak.
"It was either out of personal feelings or a belief in the group," Kroenke said, confirming he sat in on meetings with Booth and Malone. "I need people who are policing the culture and pushing forward. We went on a little run before the All-Star break. There were reports out there I was contemplating something then. That is true.
"Those eight games masked a trend that was going on behind closed doors."
No players or club personnel requested the change in organizational structure, Kroenke said. He offered three-time MVP Nikola Jokic a chance to discuss a decision that had already been made, but Kroenke said Monday that Jokic's response was a head nod of "no."
However, Kroenke reached the point where he realized "certain things had slipped to a point where they shouldn't have been" between his senior basketball officials. He said he apologized to Booth and Malone with "as positive a bad conversation as we could have."
"To be frank, neither of them deserved it. For that I apologize. As the leader of the organization, I need to be better," Kroenke said.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Monday, April 14, 2025
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"Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season. Our fans deserve better. Change is needed," the team said in a statement Monday.
The Suns ended the season in 11th place in the Western Conference, three games out of a spot in the play-in tournament in Budenholzer's only season as head coach. He was hired to replace Frank Vogel, who also was dismissed after a single season last year.
Phoenix made the playoffs the past four seasons, and owner Mat Ishbia went all in on spending for his team, paying the combination of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal a total of $150 million this season.
He thought Budenholzer was the right coach to lead the team, an Arizona native who won the 2021 NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, and gave him a five-year, $50 million contract. The coach and the players never meshed, however, according to reports.
Phoenix will be looking for its fourth head coach in four seasons and its eighth since 2015-16, which was star guard Booker's first in the NBA.
It's also likely Phoenix will entertain trade offers for Durant and must figure out what to do about Beal, who has two years and $110 million left on his no-trade deal. Durant is owed $54.7 million for 2025-26, the final year of his existing contract.
Durant, Beal and Booker played in only 37 games together because of injuries, going 19-18.
Budenholzer has a career record of 520-363 in 11 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, Bucks and Suns.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Monday, April 14, 2025
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Owner Gayle Benson made the announcement but did not address the future of head coach Willie Green, who was hired by Griffin in 2021. Green has a 148-180 record.
ESPN reported Monday afternoon that the Pelicans hope to replace Griffin with Joe Dumars, who was named NBA Executive of the Year in 2003 with the Detroit Pistons -- the year before they won the NBA title. A Louisiana native, Dumars currently serves as the league's executive vice president and head of basketball operations.
Griffin had been in charge of the Pelicans since April 17, 2019. The franchise posted a record of 209-263 with just two playoff appearances during his tenure.
"This was a difficult decision, but one that I feel is necessary at this time to bring a fresh approach to our front office and build a culture that will deliver sustainable success, on and off the court," Benson said. "I am committed to hiring the right person to lead our basketball operations department and deliver an NBA Championship to our city. That is what our fans deserve. I am truly appreciative of David for his leadership and many contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community over the last six years. "
Griffin, 51, was the architect of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2015-16 NBA championship team and arrived in New Orleans with great hopes.
His first draft pick was Zion Williamson, taken No. 1 overall in 2019. Griffin traded Anthony Davis -- who demanded a trade -- to the Los Angeles Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and three first-round picks.
Williamson has been oft-injured during his career, playing in 214 games and missing 268 because of a variety of injuries, and his lack of availability has kept the Pelicans from gaining much momentum with him being in and out of the lineup.
Under Griffin, the Pelicans made the playoffs following the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons. Williamson missed that first season entirely due to a right foot injury and played 70 games in the other.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Monday, April 14, 2025
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Kawhi Leonard contributed 33 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals, and Ivica Zubac logged 22 points and 17 rebounds, helping the Clippers secure the fifth seed in the West and an opening-round matchup with the No. 4 Denver Nuggets.
Stephen Curry bombed in 36 points, 21 coming on 3-pointers, for the Warriors, who dropped to seventh in the West and will face the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies in a play-in game Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Harden gave the Clippers the lead for good in the five-minute overtime with a 3-pointer 69 seconds into the session. He later added another 3-pointer, two free throws, a floater in the lane and two more clinching foul shots with 3.0 seconds left to secure Los Angeles' eighth consecutive win.
Hawks 117, Magic 105
Keaton Wallace had a triple-double with 15 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds to lift host Atlanta over Orlando. The teams will meet again Tuesday in Orlando in the play-in tournament, with the winner claiming the seventh seed and a first-round match-up against Boston.
It was a day for the reserves to log plenty of minutes as both teams rested their primary players. Wallace is in his fourth year as a pro but spent most of that time in the G League before making his NBA debut in October 2024. Terance Mann led the Hawks with 19 points. Jacob Toppin had a career-high 17 points for Atlanta, including five 3-pointers.
Anthony Black led the Magic with 20 points and Jett Howard had 16 off the bench. Orlando finished the regular season 41-41, Atlanta 40-42. The teams split four regular-season meetings.
Celtics 93, Hornets 86
Payton Pritchard tossed in a game-high 34 points to help Boston defeat visiting Charlotte.
As expected, the playoff-bound Celtics rested most of their top players. Boston received 15 points from Sam Hauser and 11 points and eight rebounds from Luke Kornet.
Charlotte, which trailed by 21 early, tied the game 86-86 on a Moussa Diabate layup with 2:13 to play, but Boston regained control by scoring the game's final seven points. Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic each scored a team-high 14 points for the Hornets.
Pacers 126, Cavaliers 118 (2OT)
Indiana rallied from 27 down -- the biggest comeback in team history -- to beat Cleveland in double overtime in a battle of Eastern Conference playoff teams.
Two-way player RayJ Dennis scored seven straight points in the second overtime, and rookie Johnny Furphy added six points in the second extra period for the Pacers, who reached 50 wins for the first time since 2013-14. Quenton Jackson led Indiana with 21 points, and Tony Bradley collected 14 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots. The No. 4 Pacers take on No. 5 seed Milwaukee in the opening round.
The Cavaliers rested nine of their top 10 scorers, including injured Donovan Mitchell (ankle) along with fellow All-Stars Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. No. 1 seed Cleveland will face the No. 8 seed in the East, which won't be determined until the conclusion of the play-in tournament.
Wizards 119, Heat 118
Bub Carrington made a heavily contested floater at the buzzer to lead visiting Washington over short-handed Miami.
Down seven with four minutes remaining, the Heat went on an 11-0 run. They took a 118-114 lead with 8.5 seconds left, but Justin Champagnie cut it to one with a quick 3-pointer. Miami's Josh Christopher then committed a costly turnover in the backcourt to give Washington the ball back with 4.4 seconds left, setting up Carrington's game-winner.
The Heat will visit the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in the play-in tournament, and if they win, they advance to play on Friday against the loser of Tuesday's matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic. If the Heat win both games, they will be the No. 8 seed and play a first-round series against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bulls 122, 76ers 102
Kevin Huerter scored 18 points as visiting Chicago topped Philadelphia in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Talen Horton-Tucker chipped in 17 points and Jalen Smith had 12 points and 10 boards for Chicago. The Bulls came into the day already locked into the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference and will host the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament on Wednesday. Chicago sat Josh Giddey (wrist) and limited the minutes of its other key players.
Lonnie Walker IV scored 31 points to pace Philadelphia, which missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. The Sixers were ravaged by injuries to key players and were forced to give significant playing time to players such as Jared Butler (19 points) and Adem Bona (16).
Knicks 113, Nets 105
Landry Shamet came off the bench to score 29 points, and short-handed New York rode a 17-0 third-quarter run to hold off host Brooklyn in the regular-season finale for both teams.
New York, already locked into the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed for the playoffs, played without stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, the latter of whom recently returned from injury. Mikal Bridges extended his consecutive games streak to 556, but only after appearing for the first six seconds vs. the Nets.
Tyrese Martin and Trendon Watford each scored 20 points to lead the Nets, and both grabbed seven rebounds.
Nuggets 126, Rockets 111
Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 points, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon finished with 18 apiece, and Denver clinched the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference with a win over host Houston.
The Nuggets, who won their final three games to earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, will face the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers. Jokic, who had seven rebounds and seven assists, is the third player to average a triple-double for an entire season. His 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists ranked in the top three in the NBA in those categories.
The Rockets dropped their final three games after securing the No. 2 seed in the West. Houston will face the winner of the play-in game on Tuesday between the host Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson scored 15 points and Alperen Sengun had 14 for the Rockets.
Grizzlies 132, Mavericks 97
Lamar Stevens, Marvin Bagley III, Cam Spencer and Jay Huff combined for 101 points to lift host Memphis to a win over Dallas.
Stevens had 31 points and six rebounds, Bagley added 25 points and 12 boards, Spencer contributed 23 points and seven assists and Huff finished with 22 points, six rebounds and six blocks in the regular-season finale for both teams. Daniel Gafford paced the Mavericks with 20 points and seven rebounds. Jaden Hardy scored 17 and Max Christie had 14.
Both teams rested the majority of their starters and key reserves ahead of Tuesday's play-in tournament. Memphis will play as the West's No. 8 seed against No. 7 Golden State. Dallas, as the 10th seed, will face No. 9 Sacramento.
Bucks 140, Pistons 133 (OT)
Pat Connaughton saved 10 of his career-high 43 points for overtime, Kyle Kuzma chipped in with 22 in just 12 minutes and Milwaukee outlasted visiting Detroit in a meaningless regular-season finale that took a back seat to Malik Beasley's pursuit of the NBA's 3-point crown.
The Pistons' Beasley, who began the day with 312 3-pointers, one fewer than league leader Anthony Edwards, buried seven of 11 attempts from deep in just 19 minutes to move ahead by six. However, Edwards hit seven 3-pointers to take the title 320-319 in the Minnesota Timberwolves' win over the Utah Jazz.
The Pistons entered the game locked into sixth playoff position in the East, where they will take on the third-seeded New York Knicks. They rested regular starters Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Thompson. Likewise, the Bucks knew beforehand that they'd finish fifth in the East and draw the No. 4 Indiana Pacers in the first round. They sat out Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis, as well as Damian Lillard, who hopes to return from a calf injury in time for the postseason.
Timberwolves 116, Jazz 105
Anthony Edwards made the most of a second chance, scoring 43 points to help Minnesota clinch a playoff spot by knocking off Utah in Minneapolis.
The Timberwolves earned the sixth seed in the West playoffs and will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Edwards was allowed to play in the regular-season finale after the NBA rescinded his 18th technical foul -- and the accompanying automatic one-game suspension -- that he'd been assessed Friday against Brooklyn.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 22 points as the Jazz finished the season with the NBA's worst record (17-65) after Washington's upset win at Miami earlier in the day.
Thunder 115, Pelicans 100
Aaron Wiggins scored 28 points, Branden Carlson had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and visiting Oklahoma City never trailed during a victory over New Orleans.
Kenrich Williams had 17 points and 12 rebounds, Isaiah Joe scored 17 and Dillon Jones had 13 points and 10 rebounds as the NBA-best Thunder finished the winningest regular season in franchise history on a four-game winning streak. Oklahoma City dressed just nine players and didn't play any of its starters.
Antonio Reeves scored 20 points, Jamal Cain had 18, Lester Quinones had 17, Keion Brooks Jr. had 15, Jose Alvarado scored 14 and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl added 10 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Pelicans, who finished their second-worst season in franchise history on a seven-game losing streak. New Orleans dressed just eight players for the third consecutive game.
Trail Blazers 109, Lakers 81
Dalano Banton matched a season high with 23 points to fuel host Portland to a convincing victory over Los Angeles in the teams' regular-season finale.
While the Trail Blazers have long since been removed from playoff contention, the third-seeded Lakers were able to rest stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James (left groin strain) and Austin Reaves, among others, ahead of their first-round playoff series against the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
Banton joined Toumani Camara by sinking four 3-pointers for Portland. Matisse Thybulle scored 15 points, Camara finished with 14, Rayan Rupert had 13 and Donovan Clingan collected 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Dalton Knecht recorded 27 points, Shake Milton had 16 and Jordan Goodwin added 12 off the bench to pace the Lakers.
Kings 109, Suns 98
Sacramento capitalized on visiting Phoenix having a depleted roster and secured home-court advantage for its upcoming Western Conference play-in matchup.
Sacramento was already locked into a No. 9 vs. No. 10 contest with Dallas in the play-in. But with the Kings pulling out of a two-game slump, and the Mavericks losing a blowout to Memphis, Sacramento draws hosting duties. The Kings host the Mavericks on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to play the loser of Tuesday's play-in game between the host Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jonas Valanciunas came off the bench to lead the Kings with 22 points and 10 boards, while Domantas Sabonis posted his 62nd double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Zach LaVine's 16 points ended a five-game streak of 25-plus point performances. Playing without Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns were led by Grayson Allen's 20 points and Tyus Jones' 17 points.
Spurs 125, Raptors 118
Keldon Johnson scored 23 points off the bench and Stephon Castle added 20, which included a late basket and free throw, as host San Antonio roared back in the second half to beat Toronto in the season finale for both teams.
Neither the Spurs nor the Raptors qualified for the postseason. San Antonio has not been in the playoffs since 2019, while the Raptors failed to reach the postseason for the third straight year.
Harrison Barnes added 18 points for San Antonio while Chris Paul hit for 15 and Julian Champagnie scored 14. Toronto's Scottie Barnes led all scorers with 35 points and added 11 rebounds and eight assists. Jamison Battle added 25 points and Jonathon Mogbo racked up 14 rebounds and 10 assists -- missing a triple-double by one point.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Sunday, April 13, 2025
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They needed five more minutes, with the Clippers (50-32) winning 124-119 in overtime in San Francisco and securing the fifth seed and a playoff series against the fourth-seeded Denver Nuggets (50-32) when the first round begins April 19.
The loss dropped the Warriors (48-34) to seventh place and a date with the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Tuesday in San Francisco. The winner becomes the West's No. 7 seed in the playoffs.
Entering Sunday as teams played their 82nd games, the Eastern Conference seedings already were determined. Out West, however, only the top three seeds -- the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14), Houston Rockets (52-30) and Los Angeles Lakers (50-32) -- had locked in seeding.
Fourth through 10th places were up for grabs, making for a wild day of scoreboard watching. For the first time since conferences were established in the 1970-71 season, three teams from one conference secured playoff berths on the last day of the regular season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33) won 116-105 over the lowly Utah Jazz (league-worst 17-65) on Sunday to avoid the play-in and clinch the sixth spot and a first-round series with the Lakers.
The Dallas Mavericks (39-43), as the 10th and final team to keep playing in the West, visit the ninth-place Sacramento Kings (40-42) in the other play-in game on Wednesday. The loser is eliminated, and the winner plays Friday against the loser of the Grizzlies-Warriors to determine the West's No. 8 seed.
The Nuggets, who won their last three games under interim head coach David Adelman, are the West's fourth seed after beating the Rockets 126-111 on Sunday.
The No. 1 Thunder await the No. 8 play-in winner, and the No. 2 Rockets get the No. 7 winner.
Eastern Conference postseason teams already knew their assignments before Sunday, with the eighth-place Atlanta Hawks (40-42) visiting the seventh-place Orlando Magic (41-41) on Tuesday. The ninth-place Chicago Bulls (39-43) host the 10th-place Miami Heat (37-45) on Wednesday, with the loser eliminated.
The Hawks and Magic have split their four meetings this season, including Sunday when host Atlanta won 117-105 in a game played mainly by reserves.
The winner Tuesday in Orlando becomes the East's No. 7 seed and will face the second-seeded Boston Celtics (61-21) in the opening round.
The Hawks-Magic loser will face the winner of Heat-Bulls to advance as the East's No. 8 seed and meet the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18) in Round 1.
Other Eastern Conference first-round matchups are the No. 3 New York Knicks (51-31) against the No. 6 Detroit Pistons (44-38) and the No. 4 Indiana Pacers (50-32) against the No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks (48-34).
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Sunday, April 13, 2025
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Mitchell had to exit a 120-113 loss to the Sacramento Kings on April 6 with a sprained left ankle. He returned to that game but missed the team's next contest against the Chicago Bulls.
The 2022-23 All-NBA guard was ruled out for today's final regular-season game with the Indiana Pacers, his fourth straight missed game.
Atkinson previously described the injury as being "mild," and Mitchell was spotted prior to the Cavs' game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday going through vigorous workouts with associate head coach Johnnie Bryant.
Mitchell, 28, is averaging 24 points and five assists per game. He has appeared in 71 games this year, but the team has limited his minutes, keeping him at a career-low 31.4 per game.
The Cavaliers (64-17) are locked into the top seed in the Eastern Conference and will begin their playoffs with a first-round series against a play-in winner next weekend.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Sunday, April 13, 2025
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Speaking with reporters Sunday, coach Billy Donovan said there is "high-level optimism" that Giddey will play Wednesday in the home play-in game against the Miami Heat. He sat out of Chicago's 119-89 win against the Washington Wizards on Friday.
As the No. 9 seed, the Bulls (38-43) would need to defeat the Heat (37-44) and then the loser of the play-in game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks to qualify for the playoffs.
The winner of the final play-in game will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers, the top seed of the Eastern Conference.
Giddey, 22, is averaging 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game on the season but has been on a tear since the All-Star break. In his past 19 games, he is averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists.
Last Wednesday, in a 119-111 win against the Heat, Giddey had a triple-double with 28 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists. Those numbers gave him more than 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists on the season, joining only LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets to achieve the feat in 2024-25.
He joined Hall of Fame members Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen as the only players in Bulls history to reach those totals in a season.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Sunday, April 13, 2025
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Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed for Billups, who is concluding the final guaranteed year of his contract.
The move comes six days after the Trail Blazers reached a multi-year extension with general manager Joe Cronin.
"I want to thank (Trail Blazers chair) Jody Allen, (vice chair) Bert Kolde and Joe Cronin for their belief in me as we all progress on this journey of creating a sustained winner for years to come," Billups said. "We are building this team the right way with a defensive-minded, hard-nosed, competitive culture. I look forward to continuing to give Rip City fans a product on the court that they can be proud of and cheer for every night."
Billups has guided Portland to a 35-46 record entering its season finale against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon. The Trail Blazers won just 21 games last season.
A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member, Billups owns a 116-211 record during his four seasons as the coach of the Trail Blazers. He replaced Terry Stotts, who took the Blazers to the playoffs in eight of his nine seasons as the coach.
"The core of Chauncey's leadership is his ability to build a collaborative culture and growth mindset for our young team," Allen said. "We're very happy to extend his contract as head coach, and excited to see his continued work developing our players and transforming this team into one capable of long-term success."
Billups, 48, was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2004 while helping the Detroit Pistons to the league title. He was a five-time All-Star during his career with the Pistons, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks, spanning from 1997-2014.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Saturday, April 12, 2025
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Edwards had been scheduled to sit out Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz after acquiring his 18th technical foul of the season for swearing and gesturing while protesting a call in the 117-91 home win.
"I tried to play good defense. They called a foul and he gave me a tech," Edwards said after the game. "I don't feel like it should've been a tech, but me and (referee) Ray (Acosta) got a good relationship. We talked it out after the fact. But I don't think I deserved a tech for just that little gesture."
Edwards, 23, received a league-mandated suspension in late February after receiving his 16th technical foul of the season.
Edwards boasts a team-best average in points (27.4) and is tied for second in assists (4.5) to go along with 5.7 rebounds in 78 games (all starts) this season.
A three-time All-Star, Edwards has contributed 23.8 points, 5.3 boards and 4.2 assists in 380 career games (362 starts) since being selected by the Timberwolves with the top overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Going into the final day, the Timberwolves are one of five teams with between 32-34 losses. The others include the Denver Nuggets (49-32), the Los Angeles Clippers (49-32), the Golden State Warriors (48-33) and the Memphis Grizzlies (47-34).
As it stands, Minnesota is slotted in the No. 7 spot out West. It would finish in the top six -- either four, five or six, depending on other outcomes -- and qualify for a playoff berth with a win over the Jazz. The T-Wolves hold tiebreaker advantages over the Nuggets and Clippers if they end up with the same record.
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By Field Level Media / Saturday, April 12, 2025
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With his fourth assist in an eventual 117-109 home win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, Jokic assured himself of the feat. The three-time MVP finished with 26 points, 16 boards and 13 assists against Memphis for his 34th triple-double of the season -- the fourth-most in a season in league history.
Heading into Sunday's regular-season finale, Jokic is averaging career highs in points (29.8) and assists (10.3) to go along with 12.8 boards per game. With 164 regular-season triple-doubles in his career, Jokic ranks second only behind teammate Russell Westbrook, who has a record 203.
"It's nice," Jokic said after the Memphis win. "I didn't do that before. I don't know. I don't know what to say. It's good."
Westbrook was the last to average a triple-double for a season, doing so four times, most recently in 2020-21 for the Washington Wizards. Westbrook also averaged a triple-double for three straight seasons while with the Oklahoma City Thunder (2016-19).
Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson was the first to accomplish the feat, in 1961-62 while with the Cincinnati Royals.
"If he doesn't win the MVP, it's the greatest season of all time not to win the MVP," Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said of Jokic.
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By Field Level Media / Saturday, April 12, 2025
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The Heat posted the highest-scoring game in franchise history, topping a 149-141 double-overtime win over the Denver Nuggets on March 19, 2018. Miami also wound up with its second-biggest margin of victory, trailing just a 60-point win over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 29, 2024.
The Pelicans took the biggest regular-season loss in franchise history and set a team mark for most points allowed.
Adebayo finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds while Ware had 10 points and 11 rebounds for Miami, which is assured of finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference and a Wednesday play-in game on the road against the ninth-place Chicago Bulls.
Timberwolves 117, Nets 71
Rudy Gobert matched his career-high with 35 points as Minnesota defeated Brooklyn in Minneapolis.
Gobert also had 11 rebounds while fellow frontcourt veteran Julius Randle added 21 points -- including 5 of 6 on 3-point attempts -- as Minnesota moved into seventh-place in the Western Conference, in a cluster of four teams who could all end up with the same record after Sunday's regular-season finale.
The only concern for the Timberwolves was a technical foul called against superstar guard Anthony Edwards -- his 18th of the season -- with 6:29 remaining in the first half. That leaves Edwards, who was held to nine points, poised to be suspended for Minnesota's regular-season finale against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
Clippers 101, Kings 100
Behind James Harden's triple-double and Kawhi Leonard's 20-point first half, Los Angeles extended its season-best winning streak to seven games by topping host Sacramento.
Harden finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the Clippers, who are tied with the Denver Nuggets for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
Down by nine late in the fourth quarter, the Kings rallied as Zach LaVine scored 10 of his team-high 26 points in the final 3:39. However, DeMar DeRozan's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was no good.
Cavaliers 108, Knicks 102
Darius Garland scored 13 fourth-quarter points for Cleveland, which overcame a 23-point first-half deficit to beat host New York.
Despite the loss, the Knicks clinched the third seed in the Eastern Conference by virtue of the Indiana Pacers' loss to the Orlando Magic earlier Friday. New York is one game ahead of the Pacers and owns the tiebreaker after winning their season series 2-1.
The Knicks will face the sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs, which begin next week while the top-seeded Cavaliers will await the results of the play-in tournament.
Warriors 103, Trail Blazers 86
Jimmy Butler III had 24 points and seven assists and visiting Golden State got a win it needed, beating Portland.
The Warriors sit a game behind the Los Angeles Clippers as four teams sit within a game of each other in the Western Conference with one game to play. Golden State will host the Clippers on Sunday.
Buddy Hield finished with 16 points off the bench for the Warriors. Jabari Walker led the Blazers with 19 off the bench. The 86 points were a season low for Portland, who fell to the Warriors for the ninth straight meeting.
Bucks 125, Pistons 119
Giannis Antetokounmpo notched a triple-double with 32 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds and Milwaukee clinched the Eastern Conference's No. 5 seed in the playoffs with a win over host Detroit.
Bobby Portis had 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and Kevin Porter Jr. contributed 16 points and seven assists. Brook Lopez tossed in 15 points while Taurean Prince and Kyle Kuzma added 10 apiece for the Bucks, who will face the Pacers in the playoffs' first round. The Bucks pushed their winning streak over the Pistons to 12 games.
Cade Cunningham carried the Pistons (44-37) with 36 points and 12 assists. Malik Beasley had 21 points, Tobias Harris supplied 17 and Dennis Schroder added 12 with eight assists. Detroit will be the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and will take on the Knicks in the first round.
Bulls 119, Wizards 89
Julian Phillips posted career highs with 23 points and nine rebounds as Chicago cruised past visiting Washington.
Nikola Vucevic added 15 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Bulls, who clinched the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference with the win, meaning they will host No. 10 Miami in a play-in game. Chicago won its fifth in the past six games.
Justin Champagnie finished with 22 points and a game-high 14 rebounds to lead the Wizards, who have lost five in a row.
Lakers 140, Rockets 109
Luka Doncic recorded 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Los Angeles clinched the Western Conference's No. 3 seed with a solid victory over visiting Houston.
LeBron James had 14 points and eight assists in 22 minutes before sitting out the final 19:27 with an apparent injury. James, who has been bothered by a left groin injury, grimaced just before being pulled in the third quarter and had his left leg/hip area taped but the team didn't immediately announce an ailment. Austin Reaves contributed 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Cam Whitmore established career highs of 34 points and seven 3-pointers for the Rockets (52-29), who held out several players for the second straight game. Reed Sheppard scored 14 points, Nate Williams added 12 and Aaron Holiday tallied 11.
Celtics 130, Hornets 94
Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points and Derrick White added 19 points, seven assists and four blocked shots as Boston crushed visiting Charlotte.
Jayson Tatum had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Celtics, who are locked into the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. Charlotte was eliminated from playoff contention last month.
The Celtics led by one point at halftime but outscored the Hornets 76-41 over the final 24 minutes despite not playing their starters in the fourth quarter.
Mavericks 124, Raptors 102
Anthony Davis notched his fourth career triple-double, tallying 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Dallas to a blowout of visiting Toronto.
Max Christie and Brandon Williams each scored 17 points off the bench for the Mavericks, who will face a play-in game against the Sacramento Kings next week. Dallas snapped a three-game losing streak.
Scottie Barnes finished with 26 points and nine rebounds and Ochai Agbaji added 24 points for the Raptors, who used only seven players.
Nuggets 117, Grizzlies 109
Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists for Denver, which outscored Memphis 14-1 in the final six minutes to beat the visiting Grizzlies.
Jokic guaranteed he will be the third player to average triple-double for a season, and the first center. He has 34 triple-doubles this season and 164 in his career. Denver rallied from down 15 to stay in the top six in the Western Conference. Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman has won his first two games since taking over for the fired Michael Malone. Aaron Gordon had 33 points and Jamal Murray scored 15 in his return after missing six games with a hamstring injury. Russell Westbrook recorded 14 points, Christian Braun contributed 12 and Michael Porter Jr. finished with 12 rebounds.
Desmond Bane had 24 points for the Grizzlies (47-34), who lost for the second straight night and dropped to the No. 8 spot with a game remaining Sunday against the visiting Dallas Mavericks. Memphis is assured of a play-in berth. Ja Morant scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 18 points and Luke Kennard had 12 points.
Thunder 145, Jazz 111
Aaron Wiggins scored 35 points and Isaiah Joe drained 10 3-pointers en route to 32 points as Oklahoma City defeated Utah in Salt Lake City.
With both teams relying on reserves, the Thunder hit 56 percent from the field and made 24 of 53 3-point attempts (45.3 percent). Oklahoma City's Jaylin Williams tallied 15 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
Svi Mykhailiuk registered a career-high 27 points and hit five 3-pointers off the bench for the Jazz, who were coming off a rare win. Utah, which went 17-for-63 (27 percent) from 3-point territory, lost for the 20th time in 22 games.
Suns 117, Spurs 98
Ryan Dunn scored a career-high 26 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help host Phoenix earn a win over San Antonio, ending an eight-game losing streak.
Bradley Beal added 21 points for the Suns, with Devin Booker scoring 18. Phoenix hadn't won since downing the Milwaukee Bucks on March 24 for its fourth victory in a row.
Julian Champagnie put up 23 points for the Spurs, who took their fourth loss in five games.
Magic 129, Pacers 115
Trevelin Queen scored a career-high 25 points and Anthony Black had 21 as Orlando beat Indiana in Indianapolis for its fifth straight win. Both teams opted to sit all their starters, and the Magic led by as many as 35 points.
Jett Howard finished with 17 points for seventh-place Orlando, which will host eighth-place Atlanta on Tuesday in an Eastern Conference play-in game.
Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 20 points. No. 4 seed Indiana will have home-court advantage against No. 5 Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs.
Hawks 124, 76ers 110
Trae Young recorded 36 points and 11 assists, and Caris LeVert added 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting as Atlanta clinched the No. 8 seed in the Easter Conference playoffs with a win at Philadelphia.
Georges Niang chipped in 16 points and Mouhamed Gueye notched 10 points and 18 boards for Atlanta, which will visit the seventh-seeded Orlando Magic as part of the play-in tournament next week.
Jared Butler scored 25 points and Marcus Bagley produced career-bests of 20 points and 10 rebounds for Philadelphia, which only had eight players available and is now guaranteed to finish with one of the five worst records in the NBA. The Thunder have the 76ers' pick in the draft but it is top-six protected.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Friday, April 11, 2025
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The Grizzlies announced Friday that Wells suffered a concussion and a facial laceration in addition to a broken right wrist.
"Wells is expected to make a full recovery but likely will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season," the team's statement said. "Further updates will be provided as appropriate."
The Grizzlies (47-33) wrap the regular season with games Friday at the Denver Nuggets and Sunday against the visiting Dallas Mavericks. Memphis is guaranteed at least a spot in the play-in round of the Western Conference.
Wells, 21, crashed face-first to the floor following a foul while completing a second-quarter dunk. Wells was in the clear and going up for a jam when Charlotte Hornets guard KJ Simpson undercut him. Wells came down hard, and medical personnel immediately raced out to check on him.
Players from both teams knelt in prayer as the medical staff tended to Wells, who eventually was loaded onto a stretcher, with his head immobilized, and wheeled away. Game action was halted for 23 minutes in all.
Wells was taken to the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in the Charlotte area. He was discharged Wednesday, per his agent.
Wells will end his regular season averaging 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 79 games (74 starts).
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Friday, April 11, 2025
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The team's statement said the surgery was deemed successful and was performed by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center.
Embiid was ruled out for the season back in late February as he and the Sixers weighed their options for his balky knee. They announced last week that he would have surgery for the second time in a little more than a year.
The 2022-23 NBA MVP and seven-time All-Star played in a career-low 19 games in 2024-25, first due to knee soreness and a three-game suspension for shoving a columnist in the locker room. His other injury absences this season included a sinus fracture.
When on the court, Embiid averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
It's the latest chapter of a disappointing season for the injury-plagued 76ers, who came into the season with championship hopes after signing All-Star Paul George and extending young star Tyrese Maxey. The trio of Embiid, George and Maxey played in just 15 games together, and Philadelphia (24-56) enters Friday 13th place in the 15-team Eastern Conference.
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By Field Level Media / Friday, April 11, 2025
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All four previously were listed as questionable for Orlando (40-40), which clinched the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and the top spot in the play-in tournament with a 96-76 home win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. The Magic have won four straight games and will host the No. 8 seed -- either the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls or Atlanta Hawks -- on Tuesday.
Banchero will miss Friday's game due to right ankle soreness, while Wagner is out with right knee soreness. Caldwell-Pope is nursing a left knee strain and Carter is hampered by a right hip contusion.
Banchero averages 25.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, Wagner contributes 24.2 and 5.7 and Carter adds 9.2 and 7.3, respectively. Caldwell-Pope averages 8.8 points per game
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Friday, April 11, 2025
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With the New York Knicks' loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, the Pacers could still earn the No. 3 seed in the East if they win their final two games while the Knicks lose out.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 23 points and dished out 10 assists. He buried 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put Indiana ahead 113-107 with 3:08 remaining. The Cavaliers fought back and earned a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession, but Jaylon Tyson's turnaround attempt at the buzzer was no good.
Ty Jerome paced Cleveland with 24 points and De'Andre Hunter added 23 points and 11 rebounds. The Cavaliers, who have already clinched the No. 1 seed, played without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Max Strus.
Hawks 133, Nets 109
Rookie Zaccharie Risacher scored 23 of his career-high 38 points in the first half as Atlanta cruised past Brooklyn in New York.
Two days after turning 20, Risacher made 15 of 20 shots and posted his fourth career 30-point game, the most among rookies. The top overall pick also made six 3-pointers. Trae Young added 24 points and 12 assists for his league-leading 50th points-assists double-double as the Hawks shot 57.1 percent.
Jalen Wilson tied his season high with 20 points as the Nets got 75 points from the bench. Rookie Tosan Evbuomwan contributed 18 and rookie Tyson Etienne finished with 16.
Pistons 115, Knicks 106
Cade Cunningham poured in 36 points and recorded eight assists as host Detroit pulled out a comeback victory over New York in a preview of a potential first-round playoff matchup.
Jalen Duren supplied 18 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons. Tobias Harris had 17 points and Ron Holland.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 25 points and 10 rebounds but also had seven turnovers. New York was missing OG Anunoby (thumb) and Josh Hart (knee).
Bucks 136, Pelicans 111
Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 28 points and 11 rebounds as host Milwaukee pulled away from New Orleans.
Antetokounmpo fell five assists short of what would have been his fourth straight triple-double, but the Bucks (46-34) still won their sixth consecutive game. Milwaukee's Kevin Porter Jr. scored 20 points.
Lester Quinones scored a career-high 21 while Keion Brooks Jr. and Jamal Cain each set a career best with 20 as the Pelicans lost their fifth game in a row.
Timberwolves 141, Grizzlies 125
Anthony Edwards scored 44 points and Julius Randle added 31 points and 10 rebounds to lead visiting Minnesota to a victory over Memphis.
The Timberwolves used a franchise-record 52-point third quarter to further tighten a Western Conference battle for one of the top six playoff spots. The Grizzlies, Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors are tied for sixth place with two games remaining. Teams finishing seventh through 10th must participate in a play-in tournament.
Ja Morant scored 36 points for the Grizzlies, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Desmond Bane scored 28 points and added nine assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 23 points and Scotty Pippen Jr. added 16 off the bench.
--Field Level Media
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By Field Level Media / Thursday, April 10, 2025
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The team announced the injury Thursday and said Monk, who didn't play in Wednesday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Monk, 27, averaged career highs in points (17.2), assists (5.6) and rebounds (3.8) in 65 games (45 starts) this season.
The Kings (39-41) have clinched a play-in berth with two games left in their regular season, entering Thursday's action in ninth place in the Western Conference. The play-in games will take place from April 15-18, with the first round starting on April 19.
Monk's earliest return, based on the team's timeline, would be on April 24.
A first-round pick (11th overall) by Charlotte in 2017, Monk has career averages of 12.3 points, 3.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 523 games (83 starts) with the Hornets (2017-21), Los Angeles Lakers (2021-22) and Kings.
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By Field Level Media / Thursday, April 10, 2025
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The team said Ivey, 23, is entering the first phase of a re-conditioning program and that his status will be updated again in two weeks.
The Pistons (43-36) have clinched their first playoff spot since 2019, entering Thursday in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with three games remaining in the regular season. The playoffs begin on April 19, following the play-in tournament.
Ivey averaged 17.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 30 games (all starts) this season. He has contributed 16.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 181 games (164 starts) since Detroit drafted him fifth overall in 2022.
--Field Level Media
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